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How To Watch The Inauguration

by Abby Norman

The U.S. Presidential Inauguration, where Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as president (yes, it's really happening), will be held on Friday, Jan. 20. For those of us who won't be making the trek to Washington D.C., there are plenty of ways to watch the historic day unfold from afar. You might be wondering how to watch the inauguration, especially if you don't have a TV. Fear not, there are plenty of options that don't involve trying to find a friend with cable.

The inauguration marks the transition of power from one president to the next, and is one of the most important days in a president's tenure. The president-elect takes the oath of office, is sworn in, and gives their inaugural address to the people of the United States. It's the first time that the nation sees the new president in full presidential-capacity. It's also when the new vice president is sworn in (in this case that's Indiana Gov. Mike Pence), and the new duo leading the country is made official.

Other than the swearing-in ceremony, there are lots of other things that happen throughout the day. A welcome concert, parades, parties and a glamorous ball, national prayer service, and wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery make for a busy day.

The coverage of the inauguration will be plentiful, with all major news networks expected to cover the events on their channels. But if you don't have a TV and can't tune in, there are plenty of live streams you can tune into instead:

  1. The Joint Congressional Committees on Inaugurations — this one is the most obvious. The party-planners behind the event will have a live stream on their website, which will include performances by guests like Jackie Evancho, the Rockettes, and the Talladega Marching Tonadoes.
  2. ABC has a live stream on its YouTube channel that will mirror what it will broadcast on TV.
  3. CNN usually has a live feed for these types of events, too.
  4. C-SPAN also has live streams, along with there three separate cable channels.
  5. The Official White House website will have a live stream, as to be expected, and it will also be on YouTube.
  6. Twitter will be a good source for live streams, too. The official White House Twitter will be streaming, and the official Twitter of the Secret Service will probably be updating, too.
  7. Media outlets like The New York Times will have a YouTube live stream, and Politico will be live streaming from its website.

While it's pretty unlikely that you could still get tickets, members of Congress usually have a certain number of tickets to give to constituents, so you could always call your senator. Alternatively, you could also call your senators to oppose Trump's agenda, the appointments of several of his cabinet members, and/or the repeal of Obamacare, all of which have been calls to action put out in the weeks that have elapsed between the election and the inauguration.